Rich Pictures
A soft systems methodology tool developed by Peter Checkland. A Rich Picture is an informal, hand-drawn illustration of a complex situation — including people, processes, structures, conflicts, relationships, and feelings. By externalising the messy whole-system view into a drawing, it surfaces concerns and perspectives that structured analysis misses. There are no formal rules — messiness is a feature.
How to run it
- 1
Give each participant a large sheet of paper and coloured markers.
- 2
Set the prompt: 'Draw the situation as you see it. Include people, processes, problems, relationships, tensions, feelings — whatever is relevant. Don't worry about making it neat or logical.'
- 3
Allow 15–20 minutes of individual drawing. Encourage visual symbols, stick figures, speech bubbles, and annotations.
- 4
Participants share their pictures with the group, walking through what they drew and why.
- 5
Compare pictures: what appears in all of them? What appears only in one? What's missing?
- 6
Use the patterns and differences to build a richer shared understanding of the situation.
- 7
Identify the key tensions or issues to address.
Tips
Warn participants that drawing skill is irrelevant.
The act of drawing forces different thinking than writing or talking.
The differences between people's pictures are often the most valuable data — they reveal different mental models of the same situation.',
Variations
Run as a group exercise: create a collective rich picture on a large shared surface. Use in problem framing before formal analysis tools like Ishikawa or SWOT.
Where it fits
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Rich Pictures?â–¾
Use Rich Pictures when you want to: Complex problem understanding; Stakeholder perspective mapping; Organisational diagnosis; Strategy workshops.
How long does Rich Pictures take?â–¾
Rich Pictures typically takes 30–60 minutes.
How many participants does Rich Pictures work for?â–¾
Rich Pictures works best for groups of 1–20 participants.
What materials do I need for Rich Pictures?â–¾
To run Rich Pictures you will need: large blank paper, coloured markers or pens.
How difficult is Rich Pictures to facilitate?â–¾
Rich Pictures is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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